Great Highland Railway Journeys

In 2009 readers of Wanderlust magazine, when asked to pick which of 400 great railway journeys around the world was their Number One, chose the Scottish West Highland Line. To understand why, you really have to see it for yourself; anyone who thinks the Lake District is pretty will be stunned into contemplative silence by the landscape surrounding the Highland railways. On this break we travel on two of the best; a steam-hauled trip on the West Highland Line between Fort William and Mallaig, and a journey on the Kyle of Lochalsh line to Inverness.

Fisher’s Hotel

We’ll stay at the Fisher’s Hotel in the heart of the town of Pitlochry. Originally built as a coaching inn, the hotel offers refurbished rooms, a traditional bar, restaurant and cosy lounge as well as lovely gardens.

Kyle of Lochalshto Inverness Railway (Saturday)We embark on the first of our two epic rail journeys, a one-way trip on the Kyle Line from Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast back to Inverness, travelling along the shores of Loch Carron, through Strath Carron and Glen Carron, then passing Dingwall and the edge of the Beauly Firth before arriving in Inverness. This beautiful line has been likened to a symphony in three parts: pastoral, mountain and marine. Once we arrive in Inverness, there will be some free time to explore before we return to the hotel by coach.

West Highland Line & Mallaig (Sunday)We head by coach for Fort William where we join the morning steam departure on ‘The Jacobite’ to Mallaig. This section of the West Highland Line crosses the 100ft-high viaduct at Glenfinnan used in the Harry Potter film sequences featuring the Hogwarts Express. You don’t need to be a Harry Potter fan to appreciate this journey, though, as the scenery in reality beats any cinematography hands down. Arriving in Mallaig we have free time to have lunch and look around this small port town until returning to our hotel by coach.

Please note: West Coast Railways reserves the right to substitute The Jacobite with an alternative engine or diesel-powered locomotive in the event of breakdown, or if urgent repairs are needed, without notice or refund.